Two held as car boot girl is found safe

A girl of four was found 'safe and well' last night after a nationwide search begun when a partially clothed child was seen apparently being locked into the boot of a car and driven away. Two men were under arrest.

The alarm was raised after witnesses said the girl, who appeared to be asleep, was bundled into a car outside a Sainsbury's supermarket in Swansea, south Wales, last Wednesday evening. The car had been seen in London on Tuesday and, after the incident on Wednesday, it was spotted heading back to the capital.

Police expressed 'grave concerns' as they launched a search across the UK involving. The hunt was hampered because the vehicle was listed as having 'no owner'. But last night the girl was found in Berkshire. The police did not disclose further details.

Two men were being held at a police station in England on suspicion of child cruelty. It was unclear whether they were previously known to the girl. She had been put in protective care and was to be questioned by specially trained officers.

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: 'Two men have been arrested on suspicion of child cruelty and are currently detained at a police station in England. South Wales Police would like to thank the media and public for their assistance, and would like to commend the prompt reactions to our appeal which led to this successful result.'

The girl, seen by dozens of shoppers near the supermarket, appeared to be partially clothed and asleep when the driver was spotted apparently placing her in the boot of a Hyundai Lantra Estate. He had a male front seat passenger.